Is Game Pass Sustainable? Former Xbox Devs Question Its Future

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This week has been tough for the Xbox brand, with layoffs and game cancellations casting a negative light on its competence and financial priorities. Microsoft is facing criticism as well, having let go of over 15,000 employees to focus on artificial intelligence. There are also concerns about Game Pass, with ex-Xbox developers suggesting that this service may not be sustainable for the Xbox brand in the long run.

Raphael Colantonio, creator of Arkane Studios, recently discussed an apparent issue on social media, referring to it as the “elephant in the room.” He specifically addressed Game Pass as this issue, expressing his frustration with the platform. When a fan inquired for further clarification, Colantonio was open and stated his thoughts about Game Pass in more detail.

“I think Game Pass is an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade, subsidized by MS’s “infinite money”, but at some point reality has to hit. I don’t think GP can co-exist with other models, they’ll either kill everyone else, or give up.”

Michael Douse, being the publishing director at Larian Studios, responded by voicing his own reservations about the Game Pass. Similar to Colantonio, he perceives this service not as an endless well of money that Xbox believes it to be. Later on, Colantonio acknowledged that this platform does serve a purpose for older game collections and preservation, but not as something capable of single-handedly sustaining a console.

While Game Pass appears to be an advantageous subscription service for many Xbox users, it may not always favor developers and publishers. Although some games thrive under this platform, others struggle to stand out amidst the abundance of options. Just like content on Netflix or Disney+, it’s effortless to abandon a game in favor of a newly released one or revert to a familiar title.

It’s been disheartening to see how Xbox and Microsoft have acted lately, given their reputation as a gaming brand that prioritized consumers. While they still exhibit some consumer-friendly traits, their repeated practice of acquiring companies only to shut them down has raised concerns. It wouldn’t be unexpected if Game Pass experiences another price increase in the near future.

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2025-07-06 16:12